Kindergarten

Welcome to Full-Day Kindergarten in the BASD!

The Bethlehem Area School District is proud to offer universal full-day kindergarten in our 16 elementary schools. Kindergarten will be a wonderful time in your child's life, filled with opportunities to learn, play, discover, and grow. For many students, kindergarten is their first formal educational experience. We want this year to be filled with fun and exciting activities that will begin students on the path of successful learning experiences and personal development. Our kindergarten students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, which is what makes each of them unique and special. Although children go through similar stages in the learning process, we understand that children develop at different academic, social, and emotional rates. Our full-day kindergarten classrooms offer support based on each individual child's needs. Please take a moment to learn more about what our full-day kindergarten classrooms have to offer.

Literacy

Foundational Skills- Students will develop phonological awareness (sounds that make up words and syllables), phonics and word recognition (connecting sounds and letters), and oral language fluency (the ability to read accurately and fluently).

Details of Text- With support, students will identify the main idea and key details of text. Students will make connections between texts and will learn new vocabulary words.

Writing- Students will use the learned sound/letter correspondences to spell and write words and to express their ideas for different purposes.

Mathematics

Numbers & Operations- Students will know and write numbers, count in sequence, and use place value.

Algebraic Concepts- Students will explore the concepts of putting together and taking apart to learn basic addition and subtraction.

Measurement & Data- Students will describe and compare attributes of length, area, weight, and capacity.

Science

Students will explore and discover materials and motion, trees and weather, and animals through the use of three hands-on learning modules.

Spanish

Students will learn common vocabulary and conversational phrases, as well as become culturally aware learners. They will achieve this by participating in engaging and interactive lessons, which include songs, crafts, stories, and games.

Kindergarten students will receive Spanish instruction once a week.

Social Development

Students will learn the value of working with others through play and other cooperative learning activities.

Because we know children are naturally curious, learning will occur in a variety of contexts and settings.

Purposeful play, which allows children regular opportunities to explore and investigate in a hands-on manner, is valued as an important method of learning.

Emotional Development

A safe and secure environment encourages risk-taking, expressing thoughts and feelings, and the development of self-esteem and worth.

Our kindergarten teachers respect the role that parents play in the lives of their students.

Our teachers recognize and value the diversity of their students and families.

As children build upon prior knowledge, make meaning of the environment around them, and develop relationships, they will begin to engage in problem-solving experiences.